


In a Ring of Sunflowers

by Charmanderxerneas



Category: Sonic the Hedgehog - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Flower Shop, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-19
Updated: 2021-01-19
Packaged: 2021-03-18 08:01:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,447
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28863735
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Charmanderxerneas/pseuds/Charmanderxerneas
Summary: A flower shop Sonadow AU in which Shadow takes an interest in flower arrangements, only to find Sonic working at the flower shop he chooses to visit. Planning for this to be two parts.
Relationships: Shadow the Hedgehog/Sonic the Hedgehog
Kudos: 19





	In a Ring of Sunflowers

Shadow the hedgehog sat alone, staring at the ground in silence. It was a quiet day outside. There was nothing more than the sound of the light wind and birds singing around him, though the buzzing noise in his head was unbearable. Dozens of thoughts were racing through his mind, and he needed a moment to sort through them all. 

The most prominent person in his mind was Maria, and what she would have wanted in this world. Though Shadow had spent a significant portion of his time on Earth seeking out revenge, he’d since reflected on that and concluded that it wasn’t something the girl would have wanted. It wasn’t something he wanted for the Earth at this point either. Having been on this planet for quite a while, he had come to see more of it’s beauty. He had come to realize that while there were certainly corrupt human beings who only harmed those around them, there were many things on this planet worth protecting……there were animals, humans as innocent as Maria once was, and though he wouldn’t admit it to anyone, he had made friends on this planet who had value in their life. 

Shadow wanted to do something, though he didn’t know what. There were several regrets the hedgehog held, and he felt as though he had to somehow atone for them. He wanted to bring out the beauty in this world, as if to put it on display and celebrate it. Perhaps he could create something, Maria would have been happy to see something like that. But what could he do? 

Sonic was someone who, despite having an attitude that would often get on Shadow’s nerves with his condescending remarks, he felt a great sense of respect and affection for. The blue hedgehog had helped Shadow see more of the beauty of this Earth, and Shadow knew that many of Sonic’s friends were talented with creating different kinds of art. Shadow considered each of their different crafts, though was uncertain as to whether any of them suited his style.

Shadow didn’t spend too much time at the other’s homes, but that didn't mean he hadn't seen enough to know about each of their small hobbies. Once he had caught Sonic’s pink friend Amy painting a self portrait while relaxing outside on their shade covered porch. Her talent was clear from the small glimpse Shadow had seen of it. However, it wasn't something Shadow was interested in. He knew his own artistic skills were lacking, and he wouldn’t be able to capture any of the emotions he was feeling quite that well. The small fox friend Tails was known for being an adept inventor, though what Shadow could possibly build, he wouldn’t know. Sonic himself was musically skilled, he had boasted as such, reminiscing about how he had played guitar in a band with his siblings when they were younger. While Shadow was a fan of music, having a fondness for edgy indie rock and metal bands, it wasn’t the medium he felt he wanted to pursue in this moment...

Shadow stood. He began to pace about, still just as lost in his thoughts. His feet were carrying him unconsciously through the small town. Perhaps moving would help clear his mind. 

The black hedgehog passed several shops. He was oblivious to passerby strolling down the peaceful streets, in groups or by their lonesome. Shadow was still in his own world, considering a variety of what felt like foreign ideas he could try. The sweet smell of freshly baked bread wafted through the air as he passed a bakery, perhaps he could experiment with the culinary arts? Though the last time he had tried baking he had ended up in a heap of trouble with Rouge for nearly setting the oven on fire. 

Eventually Shadow came to a stop, as his gaze caught sight of a small, earthy but comfortable looking shop. Near the entrance there was a great assortment of flowers and plants growing every which way, blossoming brilliantly under the sun with vibrant pink, purple and blue hues. A few small bees danced and buzzed about them.

A flower shop…. Something about the plants outside had hooked Shadow and captured his attention. Could it have been that their beauty reminded him of the life he wanted to protect on Earth?... Or maybe it was simply because it was the sort of sight he would have wanted Maria to see…

That’s when the first seeds of the idea were planted in Shadow’s mind…. He remembered that Silver twink mentioning something about different flower arrangements, though he hadn’t paid much attention. It spoke to him now though, perhaps that was something the hedgehog wanted to try.

The small bell above the door to the shop rang as Shadow entered the small building, before pausing a moment to take in his surroundings. He was immediately met with bright lights and colors all around from the flower arrangements lining the wall. The small room was filled with flora and greenery, and a pleasant fragrance was wafting through the air. 

His attention was caught by a lively voice that he knew all too well, “...Hey Shadow!... Never expected ta see you in a place like this.”

Shadow blinked, “.......Sonic?....Why are you here?... And why are you dressed like that?”

Sonic was grinning. The hedgehog was wearing some sort of light yellow apron, covered in dirt smudges. The front of his apron had several pockets, in which Shadow could see several small packets and small tools poking out. Though Shadow would never admit it aloud, Sonic looked pretty cute in it. He was shining like the gentle rays of light filtering in around him from the small windows above. He stepped towards Shadow out from the main counter a bit, “....Come on, isn't it obvious?...I work here!”

“....” Shadow stared at him for a moment, “....Since when do you have the time to work in a flower shop?”

Sonic shrugged his arms, tilting his head and giving Shadow a sideways smile, “.... I only just started it recently. Besides, just cuz a guy’s always saving the world doesn’t mean he doesn’t have time for other pastimes.”

“....Hmph.” Shadow turned his attention away from him to look at some of the hyacinths on the nearby counter. The bunches of these small and blue flowers were eye catchingly pleasing and filled the entire counter in clusters of petals. 

Sonic continued his laid back demeanor, "...I never thought I'd see you here though, Shadow…. You always seemed a bit too edgy to be into stuff like flowers."

"...I can be into whatever I want, hedgehog…" his arms were crossed, a small glare directed at the blue blur. What was it to him if he was interested in flora?? Even if it was mostly for Maria's sake, he didn't like feeling judged.

"It's all cool bro, I like flowers too!" Sonic moved to pick up a purple pansy with overlapping heart shaped petals. He held it to his nose and took a moment to smell the small beauty, shutting his eyes peacefully, ".... They smell nice, and they're beautiful too!... I always try to stop and smell the flowers when I'm on my runs."

".....Huh." It seemed Shadow wasn't the only hedgehog surprisingly interested in flowers. While Shadow had definitely noticed Sonic’s fast paced and cool nature, he never really took him as someone who would observe and appreciate smaller finer details in his environment, such as flowers.

"...So, you came in here for a reason, right?" Sonic put the purple pansy back where it had been on the counter. "... was there a certain kinda flower you wanted?"

"....Oh. Right…" Shadow had gotten a bit sidetracked seeing Sonic in a place like this, ".....I… am actually not sure what I want to get…." Shadow's voice was a bit soft and uncertain.

"That's okay. We can look around and see what kinda thing you're looking for." Sonic smiled brightly at him.

".....Right." Shadow was once again looking around the room at the bright flower arrangements adorning the walls. For a small building, there had been an impressive amount of plants fit on the walls, shelves and displays. They were growing out filling every nook and cranny, making the choices a bit overwhelming.

Sonic was soon by Shadow's side, looking up at the vast display in front of them. "...Are these for some sorta special occasion?? A lot of flowers have special meanings you know. We could find whatever matches your need!"

"... Really?" Having not known much regarding flowers, the hedgehog hadn't been aware they could have deeper meaning. Perhaps he could get something to represent Maria, though he didn't know how to ask this of Sonic.

It took Shadow a moment to think of a further response, "........There is a reason that I came here today."

Sonic had noticed Shadow had grown quieter, the black hedgehog's entire demeanor had changed into a more serious and thoughtful one. Patience wasn't known to be Sonic's strong suit, though he was being quiet in waiting for Shadow to explain, "...Yeah? What is it?"

Shadow was averting his gaze from his friend, choosing instead to look towards the ground, ".....Maria." 

The one word seemed to change the atmosphere around them, the bright and vibrant hues surrounding them adorning the walls of the shop now seemed to grow a bit dark and tense. Sonic suddenly understood why Shadow had seemed so deliberate and attentive in each of his words. "....Oh…"

"....I've been thinking… about what she would have wanted for life on Earth…. I've come to realize that taking revenge on people isn't what she would have wanted… and…" The hedgehog took a bit of a thoughtful pause, "...I think she would have enjoyed the beauty on Earth. She was kind to me and others…. So I believe she would have wanted me to share the good parts of this world with others… rather than focusing on the parts I want to destroy."

"..." Sonic had listened to Shadow's considerate lament, ".....Wow. That's actually pretty sweet to hear from a guy like you Shadow…"

"....Tch-" Shadow shut his eyes and turned away from him, turning slightly red. 

Sonic was smiling, he stood a bit taller, "... Well I think getting into different flower arrangements because of something like that is a great idea!... Maybe we could find something to represent those different qualities of life that you want to protect for her."

".....Yeah. I think that would be nice…" After having been so open about his reasoning, Shadow’s demeanor was much less secretive and closed off. Something about opening up to the blue hedgehog made him feel safe, like he could trust his friend with his personal thoughts and secrets.

“....” Sonic paused a moment before taking Shadow’s hand, “....Come on, I’ll show you around a bit! There’s a ton of different choices when it comes to making flower arrangements….”

Sonic began showing Shadow around the small room at the multitude of different flowers and options. It wasn’t long before the two had picked out a plentiful selection of plants. There were small blue daisies symbolising innocence with their simple petals and their lively yellow centers. Larger than the daisies were the windflowers, white with their thick round petals that fluttered gently against the breeze from the fan standing in the corner of the room. These windflowers were meant to represent protection, like how Shadow now sought to protect the life on this planet. Small pink cyclamens with upswept petals were to symbolize sincerity. The final flowers the two had picked out were light blue cosmos, their color seeming akin to the sky. These cosmos represented the peace Maria wanted to have.

“...Hey, this flower is my favorite!” Sonic was holding a bright yellow flower with a large dark center, admiring it’s form. “....Sunflowers! I think they’re real neat, don’t you Shads??”

“....They’re fine.” Shadow had gotten to the point where there was a sense of satisfaction in his chest. He didn’t feel as if he needed any more types of flowers for his arrangement for Maria.

“...You know. We’ve got a couple a’ sunflowers growing in the garden out back…. We normally don’t bring customers back there, buuut I could definitely make an exception.” Sonic’s grin was sly, but there was excitement shining in his eyes as he looked at Shadow.

“...The garden in the back??...” Shadow gave the blue hedgehog a skeptical look, “...You aren’t planning anything by bringing me back there, are you?”

Sonic gave a small laugh, “Relax, I’m not planning squat. Now come on!” He moved to grab Shadow’s hand once again, dragging him towards the back of the shop.

When the bright sun hit the hedgehog’s faces, Shadow looked away for a few moments, blinded from having been inside the shop for a while. Once his eyes had adjusted, however, he was looking over the entire yard with wide eyes and his mouth slightly agape in awe. The garden was bigger than the one room inside the shop, and there were rows and rows of different flowers. Not only flowers in fact, but large gourds and vegetables seemed to be growing in every direction. Most were planted in the soft soil, though there were many potted plants on the sides and at the back of the rows. Neat looking, colorful labels identified everything. Busy bees and large butterflies were flying about the sea of blooms. Everything was overwhelmingly bright and beautiful. After looking for a moment more, Shadow even noticed what looked like a small greenhouse at the very back.

Tending to flowers in the middle of rows, but standing up when Sonic and Shadow had stepped outside was a silver quilled hedgehog. He was wearing a pair of blue overalls covered in dirt, a buttoned up green flannel visible underneath. He also adorned a giant sun hat that seemed almost too big for the young hedgehog’s small head. He waved at Sonic, but a look of surprise came over his face upon seeing the other hedgehog, "...Is that Shadow??"

Sonic grinned, "Hey Silver!! Yeah, Shads here decided to stop by!"

"...Wow!" The young hedgehog made his way over to the two, excitement in his smile, "I didn't know you were a plant person, Shadow!...Do you want me to show you around our garden??" His eyes shone.

"...." Shadow stared for a moment at Silver, "....What are you wearing?"

"...Oh, uh, this?" Silver looked down a bit, wiping off a bit of dirt before standing tall, "...This is my gardening outfit!! When we were looking into this kinda stuff I saw a few pictures of people wearing stuff like this, I thought I'd look cute in it!"

"... I'm sure you don't have to dress up like that to garden…" Shadow had an inkling that part of the appeal of running a flower shop to these two was adorning the aesthetic yet unnecessary clothing. Hell, being hedgehogs the two didn’t even wear clothes a majority of the time, which added to Shadow’s suspicions.

"Well I like it." Silver had a cute and proud smile looking down at his outfit for a moment more.

"...Come on Shadow, Silver and I will show ya around the garden. We've both worked pretty hard on it!!" Sonic moved to grab Shadow's hand and began to lead him through the rows of flowers. 

Silver was following the two, he seemed to be brimming with excitement as he began to point out the different plants down the isles and explain their names and characteristics to Shadow. Shadow was looking around, everything was busy and a lot to process. Eventually he and Sonic came to a stop, as not to trip over some large pumpkins that had grown winding along the walkway. “....Why are you even growing these? I didn’t think pumpkins were flowers…”

“...Well duh. They’re not. Pumpkins are squashes.” Sonic answered.

“....Yeah. Well, if you didn’t notice, we aren’t at Pumpkin Hill. We’re at a flower shop.” Shadow put extra emphasis on the word, “Why are you growing pumpkins or squashes at a flower shop? You aren’t planning on selling these, are you?” asked Shadow.

“Oh no, we could never sell ol’ Pumpky here!” Silver had moved to kneel next to what seemed to be the largest pumpkin. It was round and orange, looking to be around a foot and a half tall. Silver placed his hands on it, “...He’s grown so big!”

Sonic turned a bit to Shadow, “...Silver’s gotten attached to those… Anyways, we didn’t grow them to sell them. This garden back here is mostly for fun, some of the things we’re growing are for our own enjoyment. Silver said he wanted to try and grow pumpkins, and I think they’ve been turning out pretty good!”

“...Hm…” Shadow didn’t say much else, and the hedgehogs went on their way to continue through the garden. 

Eventually they made it to the small, shabby looking greenhouse in the back. Stepping inside, Shadow could feel the humid air get hotter, and he stood looking around the small house. The entire thing seemed to be stuffed with plants. There seemed to be more vegetables, unlike the overwhelming population of flowers elsewhere. There were tomatoes, lettuce and other green leafy plants, peppers, and more, sprouting up on each of the long tables inside. 

“...So? What do you think?” Sonic was looking over at Shadow expectantly. 

“.....I’ll admit that it’s impressive…” Shadow was looking around the small room. 

“Yeah??” Sonic was grinning, “...I haven’t even shown you my favorite part of this whole place.”

“....Oh?” Shadow was looking at him. He thought he had seen the entire place already. Though he supposed that there were still some areas in the garden that they hadn’t gotten a proper look at.

Sonic was still holding onto Shadow’s hand. Usually Shadow wouldn’t want to be seen holding someone’s hand like that but seeing as Sonic was touring him around the place he was allowing it. Sonic started to once again lead him, this time leaving the greenhouse and moving to a small area that was somewhat obscured from view. Being hidden in an area behind the small greenhouse, there seemed to be a wall of tall flowers stretching into the sky above them. The long stems of the flowers actually seemed to be around as tall as the small greenhouse next to them. Shadow stared up at the flowers for a moment. The tops were yellow with dark brown centers…. Sunflowers. Sonic’s favorite.

Sonic was looking up at the flowers as well, “...I had read something cool about planting sunflowers in a ring, and wanted to try it out…. Come over here, there’s a small entrance we can go into.”

“...An entrance?” Shadow was confused, but Sonic led him over to a small section of the sunflower wall where the flowers parted. He pulled the black hedgehog into the ring of flowers.

The sunflowers were surrounding them, tall and bright. The green thick stems created a small hideaway for them, the inside of which had shade provided by the tall plants. It was then that Sonic let go of Shadow’s hand and moved to sit down on the earthy ground. There was a soft blanket of grass growing. Shadow paused for a moment, before moving to sit next to him.

“....Isn’t it nice??” Sonic was still looking up at the flowers above.

Shadow was quiet for a moment, gazing up as well, “...Yeah…”

“...” And so the two hedgehogs spent a moment together sitting in the sunflower hideout side by side.

After a moment of silence, Shadow had poked his head through the entrance, “...You’re showing him around in here, right?... I just looked at the time, we should be closing up shop soon actually.”

“...Oh, that time already?” Sonic moved to stand up, “...Time really flies, doesn’t it?”

Shadow got up quietly. The three were soon walking back through the garden to the small shop again. 

When they entered the shop, Sonic turned to address Shadow for a moment, “...Thanks for stoppin’ by today, Shads. Hope you enjoy those flowers.”

“..Yeah, I think I will….” Shadow was still holding his arrangement of flowers close to his chest.

“If you ever need anything else feel free to stop by!” Sonic was smiling.

“Yeah, yeah, I will.” And with that Shadow was soon walking back to his own place, quiet with his thoughts again. They weren’t as loud now. It had gotten a bit late, he really had spent quite a while in the cute little flower shop with Sonic. He really was grateful for his help that day.

**Author's Note:**

> So uh. Ive never actually played sonic adventure 2 (i think thats the one with maria right?). The only sonic game ive played since i was like 7 was sonic forces lmao. and Ive only given the wikipedia a quick glance through. So the story points about maria are just based on what ive seen from that and tumblr. and Im very sorry if its inaccurate lol


End file.
